Tree-feller and block-dresser



(No Model.) J. F. BOLLMAN.

4TRE-E PBLLEB. AND BLOCK DRESSER.

Patented Oct. 2,1883.

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JOHN F. BOLLMAN, OF GINGINATI, OHIO'.

TREE-fFELLER AND BLOCK-DRESSER.

SPECIFICATION `forming part of Letters, Patent No. 285,874, datedOctober 2, 188, i

Application filed Junc 4, 1853, (No model.) Y

Dressers, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide a sectional sawing-macl1inethat can be readily and securely framed around a tree, so as to enablethe latter to be felled in the most convenient and expeditious manner,although said machine can be used for sawing the fallen timber into logsof any desired lengths, or for dressing off large pieces of wood, suchas generally employed for butchers blocks, &c. This sectional implementconsists, essentially, of a pair of sills and two rails that are boltedtogether, so as to form a practically square frame, which frame istemporarily attached to a tree, either with dogs or other similarretaining devices, said rails having carriages mounted upon them for thepurpose of guiding Vthe saw in a proper path. These carriages have dragropes or chains secured to them, which ropes are passed over rollers atthe ends of the rails, and are weighted, so as to advance saidcarriages, and thereby keep the saw up to its work, as hereinafter morefully described.

Another feature of my invention consists in providing the machine with aiixed bearingbar, a swinging arm, andareciprocating slide, which latteris armed with a stud that passes upwardly through a hole in thesaw-blade. By this arrangement any vertical vibration of the free end ofthe saw is prevented when the machine is worked by one man, ashereinafter more fully described.

My invention further consists in providing the machine-with a detachableguide that is capable of being attached to either of the sills, so as tosupport the saw at its middle when it iirst begins to cut into the treeor block, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a plan showin g my machine framedaround a tree, the middle portions of the drag-ropes being omitted andone of the carriages being sectioned. Fig. 2 is a side elevation,showing the machine arranged for dressing down a butchers block. Fig. 3is a plan showing the bearing-bar applied to the sills and the swingingarm pivoted Fig. 4 is an enlargedto one of the carriages. view, showingthe saw supported on the slide of said arm. Fig. 5 is a transversesection of the saw, swinging arm, and slide. Fig. 6 is an enlargedelevation of the center guide.

A B represent two sills of any suitable size and material, said sillsbeing provided at or near their mid-length with spurs or dogs a I), orother convenient retaining devices, thesev dogsA being attached to saidsills, either with bolts or thumb-screws, o b. Furthermore, these sillsare pierced with aseries of vertical holes, a b, to admit bolts orthumb-screws O, wherewith rails D E are fastened upon said sills7 theserails being provided, respectively, with spurs or dogs d e, secured withthumbscrews d e. g

d c are vertical holes in the rails D E, which rails are groovedlongitudinally on top, as at F G, to enable the carriages I-II to travelwithout coming in contact with the heads of bolts C d e. Carriage Hhasside flanges, hh, (seen in Fig. 4,) that traverse grooves J J in theopposite sides of rail D, the other carriage, I, being provided withsimilar danges that slide along the grooves J of rail E, one of saidgrooves J/ being seen `in Fig. 2. Each carriage is slottedlongitudinally at K to admit a suitable saw, L, the back of the latterbeing adapted to bear against small roller 7c, fitted in said slots.

Projecting laterally from the carriages II I are lugs mmf, to either oneof which can be pivoted a swinging arm, M, that rests on a bearingbar,N, applied parallel to either of the rails D or E, and fastened to thesillsA lBwith bolts n, traversing the holes n. Adapted to reciprocate onthis arm M is a slide, O, armed with an. upwardly-projecting lug, o,that passes through'a hole, Z, in the end of the saw-bladc most remotefrom the handle thereof, it being lunderstood Vthat these devices M N Oo are `used only when one man operates the machine.

J ournaled in the opposite ends of rail D are rollers l? P, over eitherof which is passed the chain or drag-rope p, that advances the carriageII. The other rail, E, has two similar rollers, R R', over either ofwhich is passed the rope i', that advances the carriage I, the dependingend of this drag-rope r being weighted at S, as seen in Fig. 2.

Attached near the mid-length of sill B, with a thumb-screw, t, is aguide, T, the shape of rIO ' holes a b d e allowing a sufficient rangeof adjustment to enable the sectional frame to be fitted around trees ofvarious diameters. The frame having been thus leveled and immovablyfastened to the tree or block, the carriages H I are mounted on therespective rails D E, andthe drag-ropes p r are then passed over therollers I R and weighted at S. Saw L is then inserted in the guide T andin the slots K of the carriages, the weights S serving to advance saidcarriages, and thereby cause the cutting-edge of said saw to penetratethe tree, the center of the saw being sustained by said guide while thefirst few strokes are being made,v but after that the kerf keeps the sawin a level position. As soon, however, as the tree or other standingobject has been cut about half-way through the carriages and saw areretracted and they saw temporarily detached from the machine. Centerguide, T, is then removed and attached to the other sill, A, 4andcarriages H I are applied to rails D E, near said sill A, the ropes p rbeing now passed over the rollers I B', and the saw L being again fittedin said guide and carriages. The tree is now severed from this side, thekerf first made enablingthe new kerf to be cut Very readily, and causingthe tree to fall away from the workmen.

The above describes the arrangement and operation of thejmachine when itis worked with two men, one .at each end ofthe saw; but when the latteris to be run with one man the bearing-bar N is bolted near the ends ofsills A B, as seen in Fig. 3,I and the swinging arm M is coupled to lugm of carriage H, after which act slide O is applied to said arm M andthe lug o is inserted in the hole Z of the saw-blade. Consequently theslide supports the saw, and at every stroke of the latter said slidereciprocates along the arm M,l which arm turns on the pivot of lug m asthe saw plays laterally. It will thus be seen that the free end of thesaw cannot vibrate vertically and bind in the timber be- Furthermore,the arm M can be pivoted to either of the carriages H or I, according tothe position the sawyer may wish to take with reference to the machine.After the tree has been felled one of the boltsy C can be unscrewed', soas to allow the varions sections of the frame to be opened sufficientlyto allow said frame to be detached from the tree. The frame can now beset vertically around the tree, so as to cut it into logs, the weights Sbeing omitted, and the carriages being mounted near the upper ends ofrails D E, for the purpose of guiding the saw as the' latter descends.

One of the advantages peculiar to this machine is that the frame can beapplied around any tree within a few inches of the ground, therebyeffecting a material saving of yvaluable timber. Finally, the machine isquite light, and when the various sections thereof are bound togetherthe entirev apparatus can be readily carried on a boys shoulder.

I am aware it is not new to attach supporting-frames to trees andprovide these frames with slotted carriages or guides that automaticallyadvance and keep the saw up to its work, as various forms of suchmachines are seen in the patents of S. H. Hamilton,

December 7, 1837, L. S. Hayes, November 6, 1866, A. Smith, May 3,1 1870,and WV. H. Smith, January 17, 1883. Consequently my claims are not to'be construed as an attempt to cover the combination of devices seen insaid patents.

I claim as my invention 1. A sawing-machine consisting of a sectionalframe that can be fitted around and fastened'to the tree or other objectto be severed, said frame being provided with a pair of carriages thatguide the advancing saw to its work, as herein described.

2. The combination, in a sawing-machine,

of doggedy and perforated sills A a a B b b,

dogged and perforated rails D d d E e e, and bolts C, said rails havingmounted on them the carriages H I, that guide the saw to its work, asherein described.

3. The combination, in a sawing-machine, of dogged and perforated sillsA'a a B b b,

IOO

dogged and perforated rails D d d E e e,

and bolts C, said rails having mounted on them the carriages H I, eachof Ywhich is slotted at K, and provided with a rollerc, against whichlatter bears the back of saw L, as herein described.

4. In combination with a sawing-machine lconsisting of the sills A a a Bb b, coupled to ,and supporting the rails D d d Ee e, as hereindescribed, the slotted carriages H K 7c I K 7c, and fixed guide T, whichlatter is at-V tached to either one of said sills, and sustains the sawL at or near its mid-length, as herein explained.

5. In a sawing-machine, the fixed bar N.

B, said bar serving as the bearing for the swinging arm M, which latteris pivoted at m to one of the saw-carriages and sup/ports thereciprocating slide O, whose upwardly-projecting lug o engages with ahole,"l, of sawblade L, for the purpose stated.l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. BOLLMAN. Witnesses:

' JAMEs H. LAYMAN, Louis C. BOLLMAN.

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12o located outside of but parallel with either of the rails D or E, andattached to the sills A

